This is not a new process. Since education standards, known as the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, were put in place two decades ago to set common benchmarks for student learning across the state, these have been regularly updated along with the associated MCAS tests. The most recent version of our standards has been implemented in schools since 2011. Now, it is time to make sure our assessments are aligned with what is being taught and what students are expected to learn.

The stakes are high for employers who depend on a well-educated and highly skilled workforce to thrive and grow. What Massachusetts chooses to assess inevitably influences what is taught in schools, how it is taught, which curriculum and materials are used, and, ultimately, whether students graduate ready to succeed. It is apparent from our high remediation rates at public colleges and universities, and the skills gap that employers contend with daily, that our current measures are not aligned with college and career expectations.

MBAE commissioned this study to determine how well the MCAS and PARCC exams actually indicate college- and career- readiness, what we consider the most important value provided by these tests. We hope this study can focus attention on the need to ensure assessments are aligned with the demands our students will face after high school graduation. Read the documents below to learn why it is essential that we move beyond “proficiency” as a goal, and instead educate ALL students to be “future ready” – prepared to succeed on any path they pursue.